For Myanmar’s Buddhists, the pursuit of inner peace turns deadly as military targets monasteries

The sound of a triangular brass gong echoes across a monastery compound in Magway Region’s Pauk Township, its familiar, gentle notes carrying through the clean and orderly grounds.But another sound interrupts the calm. From an ICOM walkie-talkie placed somewhere inside the monastery comes a warning of a possible airstrike. The broadcast cuts through the peaceful atmosphere, alerting monks and worshippers to the danger of an attack and the need to find shelter.For 66-year-old Khin Kyi, the warning has become an unsettling part of religious life in an era of civil conflict.Like millions of devout Buddhists across Myanmar, she considers the monastery a place of refuge, spiritual renewal. . . Subscribe for full access Myanmar Now's award-winning journalism is made possible by our subscribers. Become one today. Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Log in